except for a table of 5 or 6 foreigners, we were the only ones in the restaurant.

server was great and spoke english well enough to discuss the menu, etc...

but as we watched the other table's food come out, each dish staggered by three or four minute intervals, we could hear the microwave starting up and chiming before each dish came out...

i was praying they wouldn't microwave our beef stroganoff or our lamb dumplings.... but yep. dumplings were like plastic, obviously microwaved (we heard the thing go off) and were topped with a pitifully small spoonful of sour cream , and the beef stroganoff was like rubber--- with an obvious pool of microwave grease on the plate. the soup may have been the only thing re-heated on a stove.

i was excited to try this place out--- safe to say, i won't be going back. such a disappointment.

I got Wylies99 loving Kvass:) Ha! I love Kvass. One day, I'll make my own. I've seen recipes. By the way, the guy who mentioned the store across the street has a point. You can get good rye bread from the bakery. It's a bit hard. If you like Russian style, Jewish Eastern European style rye, you can find it there. That's the bakery near a convenient store. Also, if you see a building that says Kazakh restaurant on it and go into that building, I remember there was a Russian store on the second floor when you go up the steps. I am planning on eating at one of the joints. The store has Russian beer, sausage, kefir, chocolate, tea etc.....

The Kazakh place has good tasting kababs, but the menus weren't in English. If you want the kebabs there, say shashlik and ask for the borscht soup. The food is decent there, too.

I hope this helps. I'll probably go there sometime this coming weekend on the 15th in the evening.

Anyone know a decent Russian goods store or bakery in Seoul? I went to the one under Gostiny Dvor and they only had three loaves of bread, meaning they definitely don't specialize in it, and there wasn't much to appeal to me otherwise either.

There used to be one around the corner on the 2nd floor that was bigger (not great either, but better), but it seems to have closed.

Anyone know a decent Russian goods store or bakery in Seoul? I went to the one under Gostiny Dvor and they only had three loaves of bread, meaning they definitely don't specialize in it, and there wasn't much to appeal to me otherwise either.

There used to be one around the corner on the 2nd floor that was bigger (not great either, but better), but it seems to have closed.

I was surprised that the one on the 2nd floor closed. The one under Gostiny Dvor is owned by the same lady. I don't know why she moved. She had more stuff and the store was nice before that. Now, it has a nice sign.

However, to answer your question, there is another store with loaves of bread. When you leave exit (Dongdaemun History and Cultural - I prefer the old name) and go towards the 7-11, you'll see a little bakery on the same side. I can't believe you missed it. I went to both stores this past weekend. She also has Russian style cheese. It's good. I like it.

Does that bakery have proper black bread? That's one thing that I really miss from home. I could make it, but it's really hard to get some of the ingredients—there are 16!

Well, it's as close as you'll get. They have small rather dark brown loves. I preferred them when they were a little darker and harder, but they're some of the darkest you'll find out there, and it has that strong rye taste. Next time, I'll pick up some of her cheese, too. One of my friends who likes rye picked up some of the bread. It's worth buying the bread.

I wish these blogs would have pictures of the exterior. Would really help finding/remembering these places. Anyways I'm 90% sure I've been there (if not there another Russian place out exit 7) and it's really good. Try the caviar pancakes.